Expeditions Maui-Lānaʻi Ferry expands to three round trips per day; continues to adjust following wildfires

The Expeditions Maui-Lānaʻi Ferry is expanding service with three round trips per day, seven days a week, starting the week of June 3, 2024. The expanded service is aimed at meeting passenger demand.

Updated schedule

The updated schedule starting June 3 includes the following:

• Monday | 6:30 a.m. Māʻalaea – 8:30 a.m. Mānele / 11 a.m. Māʻalaea – 1 p.m. Mānele / 3:30 p.m. Māʻalaea – 5:30 p.m. Mānele
• Tuesday | 6:30 a.m. Māʻalaea – 8:30 a.m. Mānele / 11 a.m. Māʻalaea – 1 p.m. Mānele / 3:30 p.m. Māʻalaea – 5:30 p.m. Mānele
• Wednesday | 6:30 a.m. Māʻalaea – 8:30 a.m. Mānele / 11 a.m. Māʻalaea – 1 p.m. Mānele / 3:30 p.m. Māʻalaea – 5:30 p.m. Mānele
• Thursday | 6:30 a.m. Māʻalaea – 8:30 a.m. Mānele / 11 a.m. Māʻalaea – 1 p.m. Mānele / 3:30 p.m. Māʻalaea – 5:30 p.m. Mānele
• Friday | 6:30 a.m. Māʻalaea – 8:30 a.m. Mānele / 11 a.m. Māʻalaea – 1 p.m. Mānele /3:30 p.m. Māʻalaea – 5:30 p.m. Mānele
• Saturday | 6:30 a.m. Māʻalaea – 8:30 a.m. Mānele / 11 a.m. Māʻalaea – 1 p.m. Mānele / 3:30 p.m. Māʻalaea – 5:30 p.m. Mānele
• Sunday | 6:30 a.m. Māʻalaea – 8:30 a.m. Mānele / 11 a.m. Māʻalaea – 1 p.m. Mānele / 3:30 p.m. Māʻalaea – 5:30 p.m. Mānele

The schedule will remain in effect until further notice and is subject to change.

“We are very happy to see most of our displaced crew and reservationists return to work. Some have made the decision to move on,” according to company representatives.

The business lost its offices, warehouse, all of its computers, servers and records in the August 2023 wildfires. Also lost in the fires was the business’ Expeditions Two vessel, as well as back up parts inventory valued at more than $650,000.

Ferry service is provided with Expeditions Six, with a reserve fleet of backup vessels scattered between Lahaina and North Kīhei.

Phone service has since been restored, with booking and reservations back to pre-disaster functioning.

“Our ticket kiosk/reservations office and terminal at Māʻalaea Harbor has proven to be a great success. We are continuing to grow there and are doing our best to become more efficient,” company representatives tell Maui Now.

Guidelines for oversized and household items

The luggage bay currently allows DeWalt style rolling toolboxes, hand trucks in the upright position and large coolers on board. These types of oversized items are charged according to PUC tarriff, and are permitted on a space available, first come first served basis only. Reservations for these items are no longer accepted.

Oversized items may not be carried if there is not space available and if the item presents an unsafe condition per USCG regulations.

Four wheel wagons of any type, furniture dollies and hand trucks folded into a four wheel position are not allowed.

Expeditions has resumed service available to Maui and Lānaʻi residents in transporting large household items that the vessel is unable to carry on scheduled passenger ferry. This service is available on every other Monday (loading at Mānele at 8:30 a.m.) and every Friday (loading at Māʻalaea at 1 p.m.). As before, approval, advanced reservations and payment are required before these items are transported. Contact reservations at 808 661-3756.

“We will continue to work toward carefully expanding our services with great consideration of the demand on Maui’s stressed harbor infrastructure,” Expeditions representatives said, noting limited harbor access and availability after the fires.

Expeditions reports that the business continues efforts to return its services to their pre-disaster levels, while overcoming growing pains, changes and delays associated with its “return to normal.”

“We ask for your patience and understanding as our staff and business recover from this tragic event,” business representatives said.